Page 72 of M for Murder

‘It’s not as ridiculous as it sounds,’ Rebecca protested.

‘Yes, it is. I know you have a crazy streak, Angell, but what you’re suggesting is completely insane. You must watch way too much television.’

‘I do not!’ Rebecca said indignantly.

‘Yeah? Well I’m surprised. I thought that maybe all those zombie flicks were starting to go to your head.’

‘All I’m trying to say is that Boone is probably still alive. I never said that I thought he was our killer.’

‘At last you’ve managed to say something rational,’ Hickok clapped his hands together. ‘In case you’ve forgotten, we already know he’s not our killer. The print on the vodka bottle already told us that.’

‘Exactly. So maybe the print belongs to someone who is helping Boone.’

Hickok raised his eyebrows disbelievingly. ‘You’re kidding, right?’

Placing her slice of pizza down on the edge of the box, Rebecca reached for her notebook on the table and started to leaf through the pages.

‘Just hear me out before you make any kind of judgement.’

Hickok gave an exaggerated sigh. ‘Great! I get to listen to another one of your lunatic ideas,’ he muttered, leaning back against the cushions and looking at her expectantly.

Rebecca studied him for a moment, briefly wondering why it was she had chosen to sit on the floor instead of next to him.

Sexual tension. You’re putting up barriers.

She dismissed the idea immediately and turned back to her notes, ignoring the colour she could feel rising to her cheeks.

‘I called the children’s home in Wyefield where Cedric and Phillipa Boone adopted Rodney from when he was a kid,’ she began. ‘The home was moved to a new location about ten years ago and a lot of the adoption records were lost along the way. I spoke to one of the old caretakers though, who started around the time that Boone was there, and he was pretty certain that Boone had two younger brothers who were both adopted by different families a year or so earlier. He couldn’t remember much else, so I decided to go back further and call the San Palimo Police Department – San Palimo is the town where Boone lived with his real mother, Helen White, before she tried to kill herself,’ she elaborated, glancing up at Hickok. Hickok rolled his eyes. ‘I know that. I’m not stupid.’

Choosing to ignore him, Rebecca continued. ‘So anyway, they put me in touch with the town library where all of the records are kept and I spoke to a woman there, Karen Harris. She only has limited information. Apparently, they’re not computerised yet and most of the files are stacked up out back. She told me that there had been some kind of family tragedy in which Boone’s father was killed.’

Hickok frowned at her, his brow knitting together. ‘So what are you trying to prove, Angell? That Boone has brothers? That his father died?’

‘Quit interrupting me, will you? I haven’t finished yet.’

‘You mean there’s more?’ Hickok grinned. ‘Great, go on, I’m all ears.’

Rebecca scowled at him, wondering why she was bothering. She continued anyway, determined to say her piece. ‘Karen Harris told me that there’s another librarian she thinks we should talk to. A woman called Agnes Barnes. Apparently this Agnes lady is the eyes and ears of the town and knows just about everything that goes on.’

‘Why would we want to talk to her, Angell?’

Rebecca bit her lip. ‘Because she might be able to tell us more about Rodney Boone’s two brothers.’

‘Oh, I see. And we want to know more about Rodney Boone’s brothers because…?’

‘Because maybe they know where he is.’

‘Of course!’ Hickok laughed scornfully. He leaned forward and took another slice of pizza from the box. ‘We’re talking about three kids from a children’s home, Angell,’ he mumbled through his mouthful. ‘They were all adopted by different families. I doubt that Boone’s brothers even know who he is, so they’re hardly gonna be harbouring him from the law!’

‘It’s possible.’

‘No, it’s not possible. It’s stupid.’

Rebecca shrugged, telling herself that she should have expected this kind of reaction.

‘I still think that someone should go down to California and talk to Agnes Barnes,’ she persisted. ‘Okay, so it might not lead anywhere, but it’s got to be worth a shot.’

Hickok nodded. ‘Maybe when this investigation is over, we’ll follow up your lead. Right now, I think it’s more important to catch our killer.’